If you did not have the good fortune to have grown up in Europe of the 70s and 80s, you will not have had the ABBA experience that some of us naturalized citizens have to draw on in their impressionable years. And trust me on this, an ABBA upbringing in the pre-teen stage is something which stays with us for life! We're not just talking 'Winner Takes it All' on the radio, we're dealing serious Eurovision Song Contest Saturday night memories. Highlight of the season, in for the evening with a bag of crisps and a can of coke, a couple of younger siblings on the sofa for good company, not to mention the older brother probably siphening off the parents' whiskey supply while we were glued to the tele for Abba's amazing outfits and choregography. Come on now, you have to admit, there's been nothing quite like it since. I particularly appreciated the platform footwear and those dainty little crotcheted skull caps the girls wore, just spectacuar against the substantial hairstyling of the times!
It comes as no surprise to hear that ABBA's greatest hits is back on top of the music charts in the UK following the release of the blockbuster movie, Mamma Mia. Only the Brits would make the effort to buy the original recording and put the ageing Swedes back at top of the pops. Though American audiences have been most responsive to the movie version of the stage show smash hit. It took me a while to get down to the movie theaters to see Mamma Mia on the big screen, though I'm happy to say that I did, for the feel-good emotions this all-star summer flick evokes were so much more uplifting than anything else on offer at the movie theater this month. Didn't bother to bore you with the fact that I fell asleep in the middle of the mega-miserable Bat Man II. Needless to say, ABBA is undoubtedly a shameless, grown-up, girl-power movie. Don't even think of taking the boys.
And as my movie-date Suzanne so aptly asked: "Wouldn't life be so much sweeter as a musical?" Throw in a supporting cast of the wonderful Julie Walters, Colin Firth, and Pierce Brosnan, Why ever not?
I do try to live my life like a musical. At least when it's just Phoebe and I. I treat her to singing and dancing inspired by a broad range of musical genres....I would like Julie Walters to pop in from time to time though, I imagine she'd be a good companion for a cup of tea....
Posted by: Lindsey | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 09:25 AM
I'm sure that little Phoebe knows the entire soundtrack of the Sound of Music by now! No wonder she's such a happy girl, all that singing and dancing and twirling around Twickenham.... and as for Julie, yes, wouldn't she be a laugh at the tea table?
Posted by: Frances | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 11:00 AM
I Have to admit, that for someone who was spending a lot of time at the disco and almost 17 when Dancing Queen hit the charts in England, I was very emotional during that particular scene in the movie. Oh the memories!
Posted by: Lesley | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 11:05 AM
I have been singing ABBA songs ever since we saw that show. It was a great "feel good" movie, and Meryl Streep can sing! Who knew? So fun to go with you. Let's do it again!
Posted by: Suzanne | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Disco diva you....
Posted by: Frances | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 11:36 AM
gosh lindsey used to do shows of abba at high school/ how many years ago? When Iwas just a young Mum of 4 children, love the music still but so far only been to the stage version, Just worried I may be like Peter Kay impression of MUM on te dance floor when I cannot resist dancing in the isle!
Posted by: mum | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Lindsey and I once went to the anniversary perfomance of Mamma Mia in London. I was invited, and thought it was just a normal show and then was running late, when I got an urgent call from one little sis saying," They've shut the road off, there's a huge red carpet and TV cameras!" It was a star-studded event complete with Abba themselves and June Whitfield sitting one row ahead (oh the glamour). It ended with a wedding reception in a nightclub round the corner, complete with banquetting tables and band. It still makes me laugh.
Posted by: Kerry | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Brill! June Whitfield is almost as good as Julie Walters! And as for our own Mamma Mia, I vote she goes for it in the aisles of Peterborough MultiPlex. Better take the girls from work....They'd expect nothing less from the energetic Elaine!
Posted by: Frances | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at 07:09 PM
When I went to see the stage show in London, an American lady asked me during the interval if I was the daughter of the blonde one from Abba. No kidding!
Posted by: Lindsey | Wednesday, August 06, 2008 at 01:32 AM